Once Upon a Time
by WolfDiva
Summary: Once, long ago in a kingdom far away, a baker and his wife never seemed to be able to get a child. A girl trapped in her own house as a servant to her stepsister. A foolish boy seeking to sell a cow. Who knew they were connected? AU Into the Woods Parody
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine. Neither is Into the Woods.

Notes: Yes, I'm up to it again. A Digimon version of Into the Woods.

Pairings: Taiora, Junzumi (in the future), and Daikari (also in the future)

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* * *

__Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away._..

The man scrambled in the garden, gathering every vegetable he carry. Why did his wife want to eat the vegetables from the garden of the witch? Surely vegetables from their own garden would be enough to satisfy her appetite. It was bad luck, after all, to steal from a witch of all things. Picking a bean pod and sticking it into the pocket of his hunting jacket, the man turned to leave over the garden wall.

"Rara... Rara..."

Slowly the man turned, still on his hands and knees, around to face what looked like a pink seed with two small leaves on it's head. It's black eyes narrowed. The man whimpered slightly, the witch must know he was in the garden if she sent her Digimon after him. "You do know that you shouldn't steal from a witch?" asked the Digimon irritatedly.

"Y-yes. I mean, no. Uh, yes? Er, no. I don't know..." he replied, trying to keep the shakiness out of his voice. Someone scoffed behind him and he knew that it just had to be the witch. He turned his head up to see the young witch with red hair looking down her nose at him. She wasn't as ugly as most witches, due to her young age, but a witch is still a witch even if they look halfway decent.

"Hi, _neighbor_," the witch said. "I see you are stealing _my_ vegetables and are trespassing in my garden. Why?"

"I-t's my wife, ma'am," the man said nervously. "She's pregnant, as you probably know, and she has an unusual appetite..."

"For my vegetables," finished the witch, she was not impressed. "I see. Why am I not surprised, Raramon? Listen, thief, I'll make a deal with you. I won't do anything to you if, once your wife gives birth, give me the child."

The man looked at the witch, mouth open. Why would a witch want the child? Probably for some black magic, he didn't doubt. Or something of that sort. Witches were famous for such things, weren't they? "I-I agree," he said, looking at the ground.

"As if you had a choice. Now, get! I don't want to see you in my garden again!"

The man's feet seemed to gain wings as he ran for the garden's gate. Raramon, the Digimon, floated closer to the witch as she watched the man go to his house. "Yoshino," Raramon said, poking the witch in the side. "The man took some of your beans."

The witch looked at the Digimon, her eyes narrowing in rage. "This is the worst!" she cried. "I don't really care if he took a carrot or two but no one touches my beans! You remember what my mother said about those beans? This is just the worst!"

-

Sora took the bread pan out of the oven, trying hard not to burn herself, as her husband, Taichi, wrestled with the door handle that always seemed to be sticking. An impatient costumer was banging their fist on the door of the small bakery run by the married couple. "Can I have some help over here?!" yelled Taichi.

Sora sighed, Taichi was just being impatient, probably more so than the stuck costumer. Dropping the loaf on the table, Sora ran to help Taichi. "Scoot over!" she snapped, Taichi was stubborn and wouldn't move. She shoved him a little and yanked on the door handle.

The door opened with a crack and the irate costumer, a young girl no more than eleven and dressed in a plain dress and a vibrant red cape, came in. She yanked a few coins out of a pocket in her dress and tossed it to the annoyed Taichi. "I came in for a loaf of bread," the girl said, stroking her long brown hair irately. "What does my mother think I am? A serving girl?"

Sora raised an eyebrow. "You have a problem buying your family's bread, young girl?" she asked. "That's true laziness."

"No, it's not for my family," the girl replied, a bit embarrassed. "I mean, it is, but that's not the problem. My mother wants me to go deep into the woods and deliver it to my grandmother. I'm tempted to bribe that serving girl I saw a few houses down working in the yard to take it."

"Serving girl? Oh, you must mean Izumi. No, she's not a serving girl, her stepmother, uh, what's her name again? Oh yes, Juri, I believe. Anyways, Juri just likes to keep her stepdaughter busy. Keeps Izumi out of trouble, she says," Sora said while Taichi was helping the costumer picking out a loaf of bread. It was just local gossip, nothing new to the long-term residents of the area but the girl found it interesting enough.

"Really? I could've sworn she was a serving girl, though," the girl said, shaking her head to a question that Taichi asked her about the type of bread she wanted. "That one? It looks good."

"It was just taken out of the oven not a hour ago," Taichi replied, pride swelling in his chest at the compliment to his baking abilities. "It's fresh."

"Grandmother will love it," the girl said, taking the loaf. "Oh and do you have any sticky buns? Oh dear... I might need a basket, do you have one?"

-

"Takato! Get that cow out of the house this instant!"

Mrs. Matsuki sighed, running her fingers through her hair at the antics of her only child. She knew he was a foolish boy but whoever heard of keeping a cow in the house? Truly, Takato had sank to a new low. The boy grinned sheepishly, and patted his pet's flank proudly. The cow itself was an albino, white as snow, it was Takato's friend. "I thought if I brought him indoors, Mother, Milky might produce more milk," Takato said.

"Takato... Milky is a _she_. Only girl cows produce milk! How many times do I have to tell you that?! Oh, never mind. Don't answer that," Mrs. Matsuki sighed. "Takato, it's time to get rid of that cow. You're going to take it to market."

"What?!" Takato exclaimed. "Mother! I can't do _that_! Milky is my friend!"

Mrs. Matsuki moved closer to her son, and waved her hands around their small home. "Look around, Takato," she said. "This place is falling around our ears. The roof leaks. The chimney is cracked. The floor creaks. We don't have enough food to last us the month and your father is never coming back, some large Digimon probably stepped on him for all we know. The only thing of value we have is that cow and it's dry. Completely dry, there is no milk left in it. We need to sell the cow to get money to get food, Takato. Do you understand?"

"...Yes, I understand, Mother. It's just... Milky has been my only friend for years. I can't sell him, er, her," Takato said, looking at the creaky floorboards. "I'll take her to market."

"Good, now, don't sell Milky for less than five silver pieces, got it? Five silver pieces, no less."

-

"Izumi! Izumi! My hair needs brushed! Get yourself into my room or I'll have mother send Leomon after you!"

Izumi looked at the pink bird pecking at the grass in the yard of the large house. Rubbing her hands on the dirty apron that she usually wore, Izumi moved a strand of hair behind her ear. "Huh, Stepmother says that my chores keep me in line but Chiaki doesn't do any, Piyomon, huh. Lazy little-"

"Don't talk like that, Izumi," the Digimon pecking at the grass said, trying to keep herself from laughing. "Your mother wouldn't like you cursing like a sailor. I know Chiaki deserves the worst curses out there, but you are supposed to be a lady."

"Izumi!"

"I'm coming! Hold your horses!" Izumi yelled at the window on the second floor. Piyomon gave a little shrug of her wings. "I'll be back, Piyomon. Maybe we'll stop by that festival that the king is supposed to be putting on after we finish visiting Mother."

Piyomon gave a little smile as Izumi vanished into the house.

-

"It's getting dark, little girl, are you sure you know the way?"

"Yes, ma'am," the little girl replied to Sora. "I know the way by heart. All I said that I didn't like doing it, I never said I didn't know the way."

Taichi gave a toothy grin. "Just being careful," he said. "You're a good costumer."

-

"Yoshino?"

"Yes, Raramon?"

The old witch looked at Raramon and then back through the window of the bakery. "I know we shouldn't be here, but I want to tell that idiotic first son of the man who stole my beans a thing or two. Like, for example, why he doesn't have a son," Yoshino said. "That and... I want his wife and him to do something for me... You know what."

Raramon nodded, she'd be quiet until the costumer left.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Yoshino watched the retreating back of the little girl. The girl hadn't seen her or Raramon, of course, that would be quite a disaster. Getting up, she ran through the door which Sora was just starting to close.

Sora jumped back. "Oh!" she cried. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here! Taichi, get over here!"

"What?!" Taichi had come from the other room, his shirt front streaked with flour. He noticed the witch looming in the doorway. "Argh! Sorry, neighbor, we didn't know you were coming..."

Yoshino shoved Sora out of the way and stormed into the store. Raramon floated in by her side. Sora tried to help the old witch into a chair but she shrugged off the help. "I'm fine!" Yoshino snapped as she settled down. "It doesn't seem like much cooking is being done here."

"Well," Taichi began. "The day is almost spent. Our bakery is about to close for the day."

Yoshino rubbed at her temples with her hands. "No, not that," she sighed. "Your wife doesn't have anything in her oven!"

"What?" Sora asked, her face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Yoshino sighed again. "You're not with child!" Yoshino cried. "Really, you two are just as clueless as his parents were."

"You knew my parents? They died in a baking accident, didn't they?" asked Taichi. He had always thought his parents died in some accident in the bakery and nothing in his life proved otherwise.

"No! Your father maybe but your mother died giving birth to your sister," Yoshino said and Raramon gave Taichi and Sora a glare each.

"I have a sister? Where is she?"

Yoshino muttered a curse under her breath. "None of your buisiness, baker. Yes, you do. I took her away when she was born. Why? Because your stupid mother had a craving for greens. _My_ greens. So much in fact that she sent your father to steal _my_ greens. All sorts. Then I caught him and let him go because he promised he'd give me the child. So he did."

"I knew your parents were crooks," said Sora, poking Taichi in the stomach. "You said they were wanderers!"

"Other than that," Taichi said, rubbing his stomach. "What do you want now?"

"Oh, it's all about what you want! I know you two have been angry with the fact that you can't seem to get a child. The reason? His father stole some of my beans! My beans! I don't mind a few missing carrots or a missing head of lettuce but no one touches my precious bean plant!" Yoshino roared, standing up for effect. Raramon floated behind the witch to make her seem more formidable. Both Taichi and Sora backed up, witches were known for their quick tempers.

"Um, if you say so ma'am," Sora said, backing up into Taichi, who grunted partially in pain and partially in agreement. "But how do we reverse the curse?"

"Huh, always what you want. Give me the cow as white as milk, the cloak as red as blood, the hair as rich as cream, and the shoe as pure as gold in three days and I'll reverse the spell, no strings attached," Yoshino said, sighing. Raramon settled down, too, though she still glared at Taichi.

"Is that all?" asked Taichi.

"Yes! Now, I've got to be going," Yoshino said, scrambling up and dashing as fast as she could out of the house, Raramon not far behind.

"We better get going," Sora said. "That costumer earlier had the red cape!"

"But she was a little girl!" cried Taichi. "We can't steal from her!"

"It's just a cape and she comes from a rich family, she can just get a new one easily," Sora said, getting a coat.

"Well, you aren't going, Sora, it's my house and it's my job to lift any curses on it," Taichi replied cutting Sora off from getting her coat and grabbing his. Sora sighed and Taichi slipped on his father's old hunting jacket, his face lit up when he found something in the pocket. He took the things he found and showed them to Sora.

"Six beans... Six beans... Those must be the witch's beans! You better keep those," Sora said. "And I'm coming."

Taichi was already out of the door, down the path, and into the woods. Sora sighed, grabbing a scarf he had forgotten, and dashed out the door to follow.

-

"Harder, Izumi! Brush it harder!" Chiaki snapped. She sat in the brilliant blue ballroom dress that her mother bought for her in front of the large gilded mirror, trying to hold still as her stepsister attacked her unruly hair with a brush. The large lion-like Digimon that Chiaki's mother kept as a close friend kept watch, his large defined face was amused.

Izumi muttered half to herself, half to the other two as she kept brushing hard. "Father says to be obedient. Mother said to be good. Stepmother says to be disciplined. Leomon says to be strong. All that Chiaki says is to brush her hair!" Izumi gave Chiaki's hair a hard pull after every sentence, each stronger than the last.

Leomon noted this and moved to stop Izumi's abuse of Chiaki's hair but Chiaki was faster. She was getting angry. Before Izumi could move, Chiaki whipped around, the brush still stuck in her thick dark brown hair, and gave Izumi a mighty slap on the face. Izumi stumbled backwards slightly, clutching her face, uncomplaining. Why bother? Her stepmother, her father, or Leomon wouldn't care. A lady had to be strong enough to take all the lumps in life, including slaps from bratty stepsisters. "Clod!" snapped Chiaki, taking the brush out of her hair and glared half at Leomon and half at Izumi.

"Now, girls," Leomon said, his paw moving close to the sword he always wore at his side. "Play nice or not at all. Chiaki, your mother wouldn't like you to ruin your nails before you get to the ball..."

Chiaki grunted and turned back to the mirror. Juri, the mother of Chiaki and the stepmother of Izumi, walked in at the moment. Her green ballroom gown swaying slightly, she eyed Izumi rubbing her cheek and Chiaki trying to handle the hairbrush. "Is there a problem, Leomon?" asked Juri, eying the girls. The Digimon gave a shrug for a response.

"No, nothing at all," Leomon said, leaning against the wall. "Nothing at all. Isn't that right, Izumi?"

"Nothing at all, Stepmother," Izumi muttered. "Um, can I go with Father, Leomon, Chiaki and you to the ball tonight?"

Juri blinked at her stepdaughter. Izumi going to the ball? Juri found the idea absurd and laughable. She wasn't cruel by nature, that much was true, it just would be embarrassing for the family if Izumi came to the ball dressed as a mere serving girl. The girl simply didn't have any nice dresses and Chiaki was a couple of sizes larger than Izumi, the clothes would simply swamp her. "No, no. I'm sorry but with that hair and those clothes? The Prince would die of mortification and your poor father would be the laughingstock of the entire kingdom! I'm so very sorry but that just won't do," Juri said, waving a white gloved hand around her head for effect.

"Leomon doesn't have any clothes, either!" Izumi practically shouted at her stepmother, she was fed up with being treated as a servant.

"I'm a Digimon, we have a different set of codes then you humans," Leomon said flatly. "And I believe our carriage is here.

Juri gave her stepdaughter a triumphant smile.

-

The girl swung the basket by her side jauntily. Some of the sweets that was for her grandmother were resting in her stomach, that was what made her spirits soar. A rock was suddenly thrown from the side of the path. The girl turned her head slightly and a green plant Digimon poked out her head. "Mimi!" the Digimon cried. "I didn't know you were in the forest!"

The girl sighed. "You do now, I'm just going to my grandmother's, Palmon. She's sick in bed, you see," Mimi said and moved closer to the side of the road where her Digimon friend jumped onto the path beside her.

"Really? It's getting dark, though," Palmon said.

"I know," Mimi sighed. "I've heard stories about a Digimon called Beelzebumon roaming the forest for girls. I tried to tell Mother that but she wouldn't listen... All she said was to keep to the path and never stray from it."

"Wise words," Palmon agreed. "Can I come with you?"

Mimi gave a shrug. "Sure," she said. "I'd like the company and Granny probably would, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The woods were getting dark at an alarming rate and Takato seemed to have lost his way. Milky the cow walked slowly pulled along by Takato, who seemed quite content to stay in the woods and not go to market at all.

"Boy! What are you doing with that cow?"

Takato quickly turned around, an elderly man in worn clothes and a gray beard, was leaning against a tree eying the cow. Takato shrugged. "I'm taking him to market," he said.

The man walked to the cow, looking at the way it held itself and numerous other things that Takato didn't know what to think of. "What are you going to do with it there?" the man asked, eying the cow still. Takato was growing uneasy.

"I'm going to sell him for no less than five silver pieces," he said. The man raised an eyebrow.

"Why such a sum, Takato? You'd be lucky to exchange this here cow for a sack of beans," the man said, continuing his examination of Milky.

Takato gulped slightly. He was raised on stories that said that spirits lived in the forest and liked mischief. It was likely that this man was one of those spirits. "I don't know how you know my name but my mother wants that much," he said.

The man nearly laughed. "Your mother?! A boy your age?" he asked, moving behind Takato.

Takato had enough and turned around to say something to the man's face but he had disappeared into the trees.

-

"You look beautiful."

Izumi nearly jumped and tripped over her newly acquired dress. The dress shimmered in the dim light and Piyomon stifled laughter at her friend's jumpiness. "I guess that means you're going to the festival," Piyomon continued. "Where did you get that dress?"

"Don't scare me like that. Oh, the dress? Don't laugh but it dropped out of the tree planted near my mother's grave," Izumi said, a bit annoyed at Piyomon surprising her.

"It dropped out of a tree?" Piyomon didn't sound like she was going to laugh.

"Yes, I know it sounds... odd but you know the stories about spirits and stuff. Personally," Izumi's voice dropped to a whisper. "I think a playful Digimon stole the dress and shoes from the village and needed to drop them off."

"That sounds likely," Piyomon said.

"Oh, sorry Piyomon but if I'm going to make it to the ball, I have to leave."

-

Taichi looked nervously around the forest. He had lost the trail of the girl with the cape. To top it off, though, he couldn't remember the ingredients and he mumbled to himself to try to remember. "How am I supposed to find a creamy cow? Or was that a red cow and white hair? No, I'm sure it was a creamy shoe and red hair..."

"The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as rich as cream, and the shoe as pure as gold."

Taichi whipped around, anger swelling in his chest. "Sora!" he cried. "I told you to stay home, what are you doing?!"

Sora stepped out into the light, carrying a scarf and lantern. She gave Taichi the scarf with a forceful push. "You forgot this," she muttered. "And it's our house so it's only right for me to help out."

"Our house? It's my house, Sora. I inherited it from my father so it's my job to lift any curses on it," Taichi argued. He received a slap on the back of the head. Taichi was about to snap at Sora when she signaled him to be quiet.

A yout had wandered into the area of the forest they were in and pulling a white cow along. "The cow as white as milk," Sora hissed into Taichi's ear.

She stepped out where Takato could see her. Taichi followed suit. The boy jumped back slightly. "Where are you going with that cow?" Sora asked and Taichi repeated the question.

"To market," Takato replied nervously, ready to bolt with his cow friend at any sign of trouble.

"What are you going to do there?" Sora asked, once again Taichi repeated the question.

"To sell him. No less than five silver pieces for food," Takato replied.

"Five silver pieces?!" Taichi whispered to his wife. "I need to go back to the shop!"

Sora held him back. She threw a hand up to her forehead as dramatically as possible. "We can't afford that sum but don't take our beans!" she cried. "Anything but our beans!"

Takato moved closer with his cow, he remembered the words of the old man telling him that the best offer he could get was a sack of beans. His mother wouldn't be too happy but beans were food, after all. "Beans?" he asked.

Taichi, meanwhile, was not happy lying to the boy but Sora seemed to act the part of swindler well. He tried to stop her but Sora silenced him each time. So in resignation he handed over the beans that was in his pocket over to her. "Oh yes," Sora continued. "They're, uh, magic beans and worth a gold piece each at least! But we can't part with all of them so we'll give you five."

Takato was a dreamer and loved stories that had to do with magic. He looked sadly at his cow. "Will I be able to buy him back someday?" he asked.

Sora gave him a shrug. "Maybe," she said.

"It's a deal," Takato said, putting out his hand to get the beans. Sora gave him five and handed the sixth back to Taichi. In return, Takato handed the rope holding the cow to Sora. Giving Milky a sad pat on the head, Takato went back home.

When he was out of earshot, Taichi turned on Sora. "That's enough," he said. "You lied to him."

Sora sighed. "Yes, Taichi, but I had to. If we are ever to get a child we have to do whatever it takes," she said. "Maybe they are magic, it doesn't matter, at least they'll have some food. If he actually had gotten to market, the people there would have laughed at him. Once we have a child, it'll justify the beans. Don't worry."

Taichi glared at her. "Take the cow home, Sora, and give me the lantern. I'll get the rest in my own fashion," he snorted.

Sora yanked on the rope holding the cow and huffily took the path heading towards their bakery.

-

Lovely humming filled the air around the forest surrounding the tower. The tower was built to keep a great beauty hidden from the world, it's stone walls had not a door in them nor any stairs. The old witch, Yoshino, walked up to the tower. As always, Raramon was close by. The dying sunlight made the shadows of the trees reflect oddly on the stonework but neither witch or Digimon took any notice.

"A visit?" Raramon asked and Yoshino nodded. "Well, it has been a day since we've seen her..."

Yoshino looked up at the single window of the tower. "Hikari!" she shouted but the humming continued. Again, she shouted the name. The humming stopped.

"Ah, Hikari child," Yoshino shouted in what she thought was a pleasant voice. "Let down your hair to me, deary."

As soon as she said this, the longest hair in the entire kingdom descended from the single window. Thick and surprisingly well kept, it was rich as cream and was the only way to get up the tower. Yoshino, slowly, started to climb it with Raramon floating close behind her. Groans of pain came from Hikari, the owner of the hair, as the witch climbed. Even when the climber was careful, they tended to pull her hair too much.

-

Prince Daisuke, the second son of the king, watched all this from the bushes near the tower. A blue Digimon called V-mon watched with him. Daisuke's eyes were fixed on the owner of the hair, high and alone in the lofty tower. Even far away, he felt that this maiden was a beauty and after all he needed a wife... "Once the hag is gone," Daisuke said to V-mon. "I'll ask the maiden to let down her hair to me. Then we'll see if this Hikari is wife material."

V-mon gave him a grin. "We sure will," he said. "And we didn't have to put on a stupid ball like Junpei to find one!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

His eyes watched the girl with interest. Her cloak swaying slightly in the breeze. The small plant Digimon departing to her home deeper in the forest. The girl was on the plump side, a good sign that she came from a wealthy family. She kept to the path but Beelzebumon didn't mind. That meant if she ran, he could follow easily.

Nimbly, he leaped in front of Mimi, scaring her from going any further. Beelzebumon bowed slightly, trying to feign courtesy. His claws stretched warmly towards the young girl. "Where are you going in such a rush, little girl?" Beelzebumon asked Mimi, trying to keep the hunger out of his voice.

Mimi tried to go around him but he kept in front. "To my grandmother's house, Mr. Digimon," she said. Beelzebumon gave her a toothy grin which made her wince slightly.

"What's in the basket?" Beelzebumon asked, eying not the basket but Mimi herself.

"Bread and wine to make her feel better. She's sick in bed, you know," Mimi remarked causally, and tried to move forward again. Beelzebumon continued to block her way.

"Oh? Where does your Granny live?" he asked. "I don't want to sound nosy but I don't want to feel responsible for knowing that someone your age is wandering the woods around midnight."

Mimi's queasiness started to ebb. This Digimon seemed to be of a nice sort, that had to be a good sign. "About a quarter of a league more into the woods," she said, waving in the direction. "Her house lies beside three cherry trees."

Beelzebumon nodded slightly and let Mimi walk past him. Turning around, he started trailing her. "I don't think you should go so fast, little girl," he hissed in her ear. "You're missing all the beautiful sights of the forest."

Mimi turned around, facing Beelzebumon. He stepped back slightly, long tail flicking back and forth. "I can't," she said sadly. "Mother and Father told me to keep to the path, just to the path and not stray. Not to linger and not to delay."

Beelzebumon faked surprise. "Really?" he asked, his voice dripping with fake shock. "That's really too bad... You're missing all the flowers."

With the last sentence, Beelzebumon gestured towards a clump of flowers that were growing just off the path. "The sun won't set for hours, that's all I'm saying," he said. Mimi mulled this over for a minute before setting off to gather some of the flowers the Digimon had mentioned.

Beelzebumon watched her with hunger in his eyes. This was indeed a treat, an old grandmother and her dull witted plum granddaughter. It was going to be a lovely meal. He dared to lick his lips, Mimi had her back to him and didn't notice him eying her. "Perhaps Granny would like a bouquet," she murmured.

Beelzebumon outreached hand almost caught the edge of Mimi's cape when she turned around quick. "Have a good day, Mr. Digimon," she said and started down the path again. Beelzebumon didn't follow her.

Instead, he leaped back into the brush and started to run towards Mimi's grandmother's house. Beelzebumon grinned wildly, he loved a good meal. Young and old meat together, that would be a treat!

-

Taichi wandered the woods in search of Mimi. He had to grab the cloak to get the potion to get a child but at the same time he felt like he shouldn't take something that belonged to a young girl. Sora would steal it, she wanted a child badly and thought that, in the end, the child would justify it. Maybe Taichi would have to bargain with the girl... Would she like some baked sweets in exchange for the cape? He doubted it.

Then he saw her coming up the path. "Oh hello, little girl," Taichi said. "What a lovely cape you have."

Mimi, puzzled, nodded in greeting. "It is lovely, isn't it? My grandmother made it for me," she said, a very confused expression on her face.

"Oh how I would love to have a cloak like that," Taichi said, edging towards Mimi.

"You'd look pretty silly," Mimi said, stepping backwards. Taichi decided it was time and lunged at her, unbuckled the cloak. Taking it, he ran off into the woods. Mimi blinked for a moment then started to cry loudly. She liked the cloak very much and Granny always said it looked splendid on her.

Taichi, not far away, heard Mimi's crying and sadly returned the cloak. "Don't cry," he said. "I was, um, just making sure that, er, you love that cloak."

Mimi yanked her cloak back and glared at him before running down the path to her grandmother's house.

Taichi watched her and sighed. He had the cloak for a few minutes and he let it slide through his fingers. "Forget the girl!" Yoshino snapped. Taichi leaped in fright. The witch had sneaked up on him. "Get the cloak!"

"If you want it, why don't you get it?" he asked, anger replacing his sudden fright.

"If I could," Yoshino said slowly, as if she was talking a slow-witted child. "I would, but since I can't, you have to! If you want a child, that is."

Taichi was bit put back by this response and hurriedly followed Mimi down the path. He wanted to get as far away from the witch as possible.

-

"Hello, Granny?" Mimi called into the dark cottage. Away from the baker and the strange Digimon, Mimi felt somewhat braver. Although, if Palmon was there, it probably wouldn't be so frightening.

The cottage was unusually dark and Mimi could only vaguely see the form of her grandmother asleep in the bed in the corner. "Yes. Come in my dear," Mimi's grandmother said, her voice unusually gravelly. It was probably her sickness that made her sound like that, Mimi reasoned.

She strode to her grandmother's side and laid her basket on the table. Mimi leaned close to her grandmother to see her better. "Oh my," she said. "What big hands you have."

"The better to hug you with," the grandmother said.

"And what big eyes you have," Mimi said.

"The better to see you with, my dear," the grandmother replied.

"Granny!" Mimi gasped. "You have such big teeth!"

The grandmother, who was really Beelzebumon in disguise grinned. "Oh yes," he said. "The better to eat you with, my dinner!"

With that being said, Beelzebumon gobbled Mimi down. She was very hard to swallow, of course, but he was stubborn and within moments she was resting in his stomach. Beelzebumon leaned back in the bed and decided to take a nap.

-

Taichi walked towards the small cottage in the woods. Near it, he peered into the cottage. A grandmother was taking a nap. "That grandmother has a mighty snore," he muttered and was about to continue on his way. Raising the lantern he was carrying to the window, Taichi peered in. "Wait! That isn't a grandmother... It has some red cloth stuck in it's teeth!"

Running to the front of the cottage and in through the open front door, Taichi grabbed a knife from the kitchen. This Digimon had eaten the little girl and the cape. He would cut the cape out of the Digimon's stomach. Throwing off a blanket, Taichi pierced the stomach of Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon woke up with a cry of pain then leaned back, whimpering as both an old grandmother and Mimi climbed out of his stomach. The grandmother even hit him on the head as she climbed out. "Take that knife and cut off the demon's head!" she growled at Taichi.

He paled slightly. Taichi didn't know two people could fit in a Digimon's stomach and he wasn't about to question that but to cut off Beelzebumon's head? "Sorry..." he said. "And the Digimon is dissolving!"

Indeed Beelzebumon, like most Digimon do, was dissolving. He would be reborn, of course, but he learned that lesson well. Mimi wrinkled her nose at the dying Digimon. "Thanks for rescuing us," she said to Taichi. "It was so dark and damp in that Digimon. Here, have my cape as thanks."

Taichi received Mimi's cloak gratefully. "Anyways," Mimi's grandmother interrupted. "I'll make Mimi a new cape with a skin of a wolf! Come on, Granddaughter! Let's go find us a wolf to kill!"

Taichi left before he could listen to the argument. He started to shake his head outside of the cottage. That little girl had an odd family, to be sure, but at least he got the cloak as red as blood.

-

Milky the cow struggled against Sora's grip. The cow always seemed to want to go in the opposite direction. So when a young woman in a lavender ball gown ran into the small grove and fell down, Sora ran to help her up. That was when the cow ran off into the woods. "Ugh!" Sora cried. "My cow!"

"What were you doing with a cow here, anyways?" Izumi asked as Sora helped her up. Sora shrugged.

"I was taking it home," Sora said lightly. "And you? It seems strange for someone to run in the woods in a ball gown at this late hour. Were you at the ball? I would have went if I had the time."

"Is it that obvious?" Izumi asked, almost laughing as she brushed the dirt off her dress. "Well, yes, I was. They even trumpeted when I entered!"

"And of the prince?" asked Sora, interested.

"Oh, he's..." Izumi tried to find the words to describe the prince. "Well, I danced with him. He was by my side all night."

"You did? What is he like?" Sora asked. When she was younger, she had always dreamed of dancing with a prince. "They say he's charming. Is he?"

"Well... I guess he is," Izumi admitted. "Though, I haven't seen a lot of princes before so I can't really say."

"How long did you dance?"

"All night. Nothing but dancing. My feet are aching so much," Izumi replied, lifting her dress up to indicate her feet. Sora gave a little gasp when she saw her shoes. They were golden.

"Are those really gold?" Sora asked. Izumi sighed and nodded.

"They are beautiful but very impractical. Not good for either running or dancing," Izumi said.

"Oh," Sora said. Sounds of running feet came to the ears of both of the women. Izumi straightened up and swiftly sat behind several trees that were clumped together. Sora dropped to the ground as a man, who presented himself with the air of nobility, ran into the grove.

"You there," he said, noticing Sora on the ground. "Have you seen a woman in a ball gown run past here?"

Sora shook her head. "I'm sorry, my prince," she said. "I haven't seen a maiden like that."

The prince sighed, running his hand through his reddish hair. "Oh well," he said. "She couldn't have gotten far."

With that, the prince left. Izumi walked out of her hiding place when he left and thanked Sora. "Thank you for that," she said. "He's a nice prince, I guess, but I have to get home."

Izumi, after saying that, started running again towards her father's home. She stopped after only a few feet and pointed ahead. "See that?" she asked Sora. "A beanstalk climbing up to the sky next to that tiny cottage!"

Sora was going to ask about Izumi's shoes but she was already out of earshot.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The beanstalk seemed to stretch on forever but Takato was stubborn and wouldn't back down. When he had seen his mother throw the beans away, his heart twisted, but when he woke up that morning and saw the beanstalk, his heart soared. Resting on a rather large leaf that could have let Milky the cow on it without bending, Takato looked over the edge at the kingdom sprawling below. The woods seemed like a green cloak spreading close to miniature houses that some child seemed to have left outside. Takato felt like a cloud, soaring over all the kingdom. Surely not the princes or even King Satsuma himself had been this high. Even though his mother had scolded him, Takato felt proud that he had exchanged his cow friend for those magic beans.

Feeling like he had enough of a rest, Takato started to climb again. His limbs ached as he climbed but he wouldn't go back down. There had to be something up that high. There just had to be. Takato's stomach rumbled hungrily but he still wouldn't go back down to get food. Each inch felt like a mile but still Takato bravely climbed on. Bird Digimon laughed at him as they flew past and he exchanged insults with them but continued on. The clouds were coming closer. Ever closer. "Soon," Takato said to himself as he climbed. "I'll touch the sky. I'll be the first one in the entire kingdom to do so!"

What was in the sky? That question was one that had always been in Takato's mind, even as a young child clinging to his mother's apron strings. Was there Digimon dwelling there to eat any birds who flew too close to the sun? Was there riches to be had there, protected by dragons? Did the spirits of the dead live up there? Takato just had to know. No one, not even his own mother, was going to let him throw away this chance for adventure.

Higher and higher, he went. Takato's chest ached for lack of the air he was used to. The air at this height was dreadfully thin but even this obstacle was not great enough to make him turn back. It only made him rest on another leaf and that only briefly. His desire to see what was above the clouds was too strong for him to do otherwise. There, the clouds seemed to be close enough to touch. Takato needed to move again. So, turning around and finding hand and foot holds, the boy started his upward journey again.

The clouds were white but wet, Takato's clothes were damp when he emerged from the cloud cover. He blinked, the sky seemed to be still miles away but the clouds were the strangest part. It seemed like he was back in the kingdom again but the clouds were the ground. Blades of grass, twice as tall as Takato, grew as far as he could see. He turned and looked at the beanstalk, it grew no higher.

"This is more like it," Takato said, satisfied that this was the adventure of a lifetime and set off to explore in the jungle of grass.

-

The ground started to shake and Takato fell forward. He looked up and saw the smiling face of a giant. His face was rounded, like a child's, and his green eyes twinkled with a small child's curiosity. "Bug," the giant said, his voice was like thunder and Takato had to cover his ears for the great volume of it.

The giant moved a hand towards Takato and he tried to run. When the hand didn't touch him, Takato looked up. Another giant, more terrible and far bigger than the other, was grabbing the other giant's arm. This bigger giant's eyes were angry, and to Takato's great relief, aimed at the smaller giant and not at him.

"Tomoki!" the bigger giant barked, and Takato's ears started to ache. "You brat! This is the Ishida place! Mother told you not to play here! Do you want Yamato after your hide?!"

Tomoki, the younger giant, put on the biggest pout Takato ever saw. "Big brother," Tomoki said, trying to reason with the older giant. "I thought I saw a little man."

Tomoki's brother raised an eyebrow the size of a wagon. "Huh," he said. "A little man? I doubt it."

Takato crouched down to try to hide himself, but the giants seemed to be only interested in arguing over the existence of little men. Taking advantage of this, he sneaked past them towards a castle that seemed to rise from the ground like a plant.

-

It probably took him hours to reach the castle but Takato couldn't care less. This was a real adventure and he was enjoying every moment of it. When he had reached the castle of the giants, Takato felt a lump in his throat. A giant, lean with light blond hair, was leaning on the door. A Digimon, a flying creature called Patamon, was by this giant's side. The giant sighed and moved away from the door.

Takato, seeing his chance, lunged and crawled under the door. Neither the giant nor Patamon noticed him, or if they did, they simply didn't care. His heart shaking in his chest, Takato moved into the great castle of the giant Yamato.

Inside of the castle, Takato crept carefully down the main hall of the castle until he saw a female giant sweeping the floor with a broom the size of a house. Her long purple hair fell around her face and shoulders. Unlike the other giants Takato had seen so far, this one was wearing glasses and noticed him. Straightening up, the giantess moved towards him after setting her broom down.

Takato dashed back towards the door but the giantess was faster and grabbed him before he could get away. "What do we have here?" the giantess asked Takato, raising him to her eye level. He winced as she unintentionally squeezed him too hard.

-

Yamato was the richest of all the giants. When he was a young giant, he had dared to climb down to the ground and raid from the kingdoms of men. Within time, he had gathered quite a lot of gold and valuable objects. None of the other giants tried to steal from him, he was far too large and strong for that, even if his fighting days were long gone. Yamato now just wanted to live a quite life with his younger brother, Takeru, and his wife, Miyako.

On the day that Takato had entered his castle, Yamato was just getting up from a long nap. He had popped into the kitchen for something to eat. An old familiar scent came to his nose as he entered the kitchen and saw Miyako leaning against the table. Could it be...? Yes, the scent was unmistakable. A man was in the kitchen. Miyako hadn't noticed him coming in but Yamato thought he saw movement on the table. He had spotted Takato.

Takato saw the giant enter the room and froze. The giantess was a friend and wouldn't harm him, she even gave him good food to eat, but this newcomer was big and hungry looking. The fun was done, time to leave. Without a word to Miyako, Takato launched himself onto her dress and slid down her apron string. The giantess was surprised at this and was about to say something when she noticed Yamato coming in to grab Takato. That just wouldn't do.

-

Takato patted the sack of gold at his side proudly. It was difficult getting out of the castle of the giants but, with a little help from the giantess, it was done. Although, Takato thought, the giantess didn't look pleased with the fact that he had stolen some gold. That was to be expected, though, and Takato didn't think much of that. His family would be set for a while.

That thought kept him going as he climbed the beanstalk down to earth. His mother would be proud of him.

-

Sora groaned as she woke up. After searching for the lost cow for a few hours without seeing it, she had given up and decided to sleep on the ground. It had been a bad move, her clothes were filthy now and her back ached terribly. Standing up, Sora picked a few dead leaves out of her hair and took stock of her surroundings. Before she could gather her wits fully, the sound of feet came to her ears. Being in a cautious mood, Sora ducked behind some bushes and waited.

-

Daisuke was surprised when he saw his brother, Junpei, in the woods. With V-mon at his side, he had confronted his brother. "Junpei," he said. "There you are. Father was getting anxious. Where have you been?"

Junpei gave a great yawn and stretched lazily. "I've been searching in the woods since the ball ended last night," Junpei said.

"For what?" asked V-mon, curiosity getting the better of him. Daisuke nodded, he too, wanted to know.

"For the maiden I danced the night away with," Junpei sighed wistfully. "You know the one, Daisuke. The loveliest maiden in the entire kingdom, that one..."

"Oh, her," Daisuke said, nonchalantly. "She was quite beautiful, it's true, but the loveliest? I've seen the loveliest maiden in the kingdom and she's not a blonde."

Junpei raised an eyebrow, not impressed by Daisuke's statement. "Oh? Is that why you're in the woods?" he asked sarcastically. "Show me this lovely maiden you speak of."

Daisuke shrugged his shoulders, sheepishly. "If I could, I would. She's lives in the woods. Three leagues east of here, past the grassy knoll," Daisuke said. "That's true enough but in a high tower that has no doors or stairs."

"How do you pay her a visit, then?"

"I say, 'Hikari, Hikari, let down your hair to me'. Then she lets down the most beautiful hair in the entire kingdom, as rich as cream, to me. Then I climb it," Daisuke said and glared at his brother when he gave a low chuckle.

"I don't believe it," Junpei said. "This Hikari sounds like something you made up."

Daisuke was offended and V-mon glowered at Junpei. "She's as real as your maiden," Daisuke said. "And saner. Who ever heard of a maiden running away from a prince?"

"I have," Junpei said sadly. "Did I abuse her? Did I insult her, Daisuke? If not, why did she run from my open arms? If I never find her again, how will I gain the heart she stole and ran off with?"

Daisuke shook his head, he didn't have any answers for Junpei's questions. "Hour by hour she sits maintaining the most beautiful hair. She keeps singing a lighthearted song, it's maddening when you climb her hair," Daisuke stated. "I know she would go with me, if there only were doors."

"It's agony," Junpei sighed.

"Pure misery," V-mon said.

"Oh what woe!" Daisuke cried.

An expression of joy passed over Junpei's features. "I think I know why she ran," he said proudly. "The girl must be mad!"

Daisuke scoffed. "You know nothing of madness!" he nearly shouted. "Until your climbing someone's hair! Oh and she keeps singing while you do it! Always singing!"

"I'll marry her," the brothers said nearly in unison. With this statement, the princes departed in seperate ways.

Sora stuck out her head. "Two princes, each more handsome than the last," she said wistfully. "No! Get the hair!"

* * *

This was a fun chapter to write and not nearly as cracky as the last chapter. Takato got his adventure in the sky and the Princes talk about their loves that are out of reach. In fact... The idea of Junpei and Daisuke singing "Agony" was the insperation of this fic.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The sunlight filtered in from the trees, waking a startled Taichi up. He, like his wife, had spent the night on the floor of the woods. Unlike Sora, however, Taichi had slept well with Mimi's cloak wrapped around him like a blanket. He had also slept later, well into the day. It had been nearly noon when he was waken. Getting up, Taichi yawned and stretched.

"Mister!" Takato roared as he ran into the clearing Taichi had spent the night in. "Mister!"

Taichi stifled a yawn. "Yes?" he asked sleepily, drawing Mimi's red cape off his shoulders. "What is it?"

Takato excitedly pushed a small leather bag at Taichi. "It's full of gold," Takato quickly said, happiness in his voice. "Now, can I have my cow back?"

"What?"

Takato grinned. "You said I could buy Milky back," Takato said. "And I think that's enough."

Taichi blushed slightly and yawned again. "Um..." he mumbled.

"Where is Milky, anyways?" Takato asked, looking eagerly around the clearing.

"With my wife at home," Taichi said, looking at the sack of gold in his hand. The gold could pay for many things that Sora and he would need. Although, that would mean giving up the cow and the chance for a child.

"Then we'll go to your house and fetch Milky!" Takato grinned happily.

"Um..." Taichi said quietly. "I, uh, don't think this will be enough."

Takato blinked at him. "Oh," he said. "That's all right! I'll go steal some more gold from the giants in the sky!"

With this, Takato ran off leaving a confused Taichi in the forest. The baker looked at the gold he was carrying and did a little dance of delight. He was rich. Or at least a little bit richer than he had been.

"How much is a child worth?"

Taichi jumped in surprise and turned around. An old man was looking at him from his position of leaning against a tree. "How badly do you wish to have a child? How much are you willing to pay? A bag of gold?" the old man asked. "Or three? How about a dozen bags?"

Taichi was about to say something when suddenly the old man leaped up and grabbed the bag of gold from him. "Hey!" cried Taichi. "Give that back, it isn't yours!"

The old man turned back to Taichi sadly. "By rights it isn't yours or even Takato's," he said and left.

Taichi blinked in surprise when the old man returned pulling along Milky the cow. "Here," the old man said, giving him the lead. "Your wife lost the cow last night and I found it."

With that, the old man left again. "Um," Taichi said awkwardly.

-

"Lady!"

Sora turned around quickly. Mrs. Matsuki, dressed in better clothes then she was used to, ran up to her. "Have you seen a young boy with brown hair and a good natured but slightly dreamy demeanor around lately?" Mrs. Matsuki asked, her breath was heavy, as if she had been running for a while.

"The one which is particularly fond of a white cow?"

Mrs. Matsuki nodded hopefully. "That's right! That's my Takato! Have you seen him around?" she asked.

"No," Sora said. "Have you seen the cow?"

Mrs. Matsuki groaned. "No and I don't want to see that thing ever again," she groaned. "Children can be so odd about their animals. Be careful with your children."

Sora sighed wistfully. "I don't have any children," she said quietly.

Takato's mother caught the tone in Sora's voice. "That's fine, too," she said, giving Sora an awkward pat on the shoulder. "I just hope Takato didn't wander up that cursed beanstalk again..."

With this, Mrs. Matsuki wandered off in search of her only son. Sora shook her head and continued towards the tower where Hikari lived.

-

Caring for her long hair was the only thing Hikari could do in her tower. Humming a tune she had heard a Hawkmon singing the other day, she stroked her hair with the new hairbrush Yoshino had given her. The Prince Daisuke had been a handsome prince, all kisses and velvet. The prince had spoken of fine things outside the forest and outside the tower. Things that made her long for the outside world.

Yoshino couldn't learn of Daisuke, she would be angry. That Hikari knew very well. Daisuke wasn't the first man to try to rescue her but he could be the last one. She smiled faintly at the memory of the charming prince. He even brought up a Digimon with him. That Digimon was so funny and cute.

A sudden shout broke Hikari's train of thought. "Hikari, Hikari! Let down your hair to me!"

Hikari blinked. That wasn't the voice of Yoshino, her mother, and she didn't think it was Daisuke. Could he have gotten sick with some disease? It was possible, Yoshino had told her about such things. She decided to play it safe. "Is that you, my prince?" she called out the window. The small figure on the ground stood silent for a little bit.

Sora paused. "Yes!" she bellowed up, in a slightly more gruffer tone.

Hikari shrugged off the slight shrillness of his voice. He probably had gotten a disease, like she thought. Who was she to argue with a prince, anyways? "All right!" she yelled back. "Here it comes!"

Sora was surprised at how much hair Hikari had. Grabbing a handful, she ran but was stopped. Higher up, Hikari gave a shriek of pain. "Forgive me!" Sora bellowed up. "This'll hurt!"

Sora, closing her eyes, yanked hard. A clump of hair came loose and Hikari gave another shriek of pain. "Hey!" Hikari called from the single window. "Why did you do that, prince?"

She didn't receive an answer, Sora had ran away. Hikari gave a shrug. Princes indeed were strange.

-

Izumi hated her shoes as she slipped once again in the woods. Like the night before, she slipped in front of Sora. "You do take many falls, don't you?" Sora asked, the lock of Hikari's hair wrapped around her neck like a scarf, sitting down beside her.

"Yes," Izumi sighed. "It's my stupid shoes."

"Did you go to the ball again tonight?"

Izumi gave another sigh, a longing tone in it. "I did," she said. "They had too much food."

"And the prince?"

"I think I was rude when I ran from him," Izumi said, mostly to herself.

Sora gave a sigh. "Can I see your shoe again?" she asked hopefully.

Izumi blinked slightly but took one off and showed it to Sora, who bit it. "I'd say this is as pure as gold," Sora said happily.

"Yes," Izumi sighed, taking the shoe back. "It is."

The noise of an approaching search party made Izumi get up in alarm. Sora, who had tried sneaking her hands towards the shoe in Izumi's hand, attached herself to Izumi's arm. "Let go of me!" Izumi shrieked in shock. "I need to go!"

Sora would not let go and the voices started to get louder. In desperation, Izumi started to beat Sora off with the golden shoe. Sora let go suddenly and Izumi made her escape.

"Where did she go?!" bellowed Junpei as he entered the place Sora was in.

"I tried to stop her," Sora apologized. "But she escaped that way."

"I can capture my own maidens," Junpei scolded. "But thank you anyways."

He ran in the direction that Izumi ran just as Juri and Chiaki came running with Leomon nearby. Chiaki was shaking. "Where did that prince go?" Juri asked crossly, trying to comfort her daughter.

Sora pointed in the opposite direction from the way Junpei took. "That way, he's too far away. You'll never catch him," she lied.

Leomon gave a growl of dissapointment. "We would have caught the prince if that ruffian with the cow hadn't tried to molest Chiaki," he growled. "Come on, Juri, let's go home."

"He's coming!" Chiaki shrieked and pointed at the direction Taichi was entering. He had Mimi's cloak around his shoulders and Milky in tow.

"Let me check to see the richness of your hair!" he was calling at Chiaki. Leomon simply picked up both Juri and Chiaki and ran off in the direction of their home.

Sora shook her head. This had been an odd day. Princes, maidens in towers, yelling stepmothers and angry Digimon. She was going to be happy when all this was over.


End file.
